TBILISI, October 3 (RIA Novosti) - The president of Kazakhstan signed an agreement on natural gas supplies with his Georgian counterpart Monday and said his country had specific economic interests in the Caucasus republic, primarily, its Black Sea ports and land transportation routes.
"We need access to the Black Sea for our oil, various commodities, and cargo to boost trade," Nursultan Nazarbayev said at a joint news conference with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili. "We also want to participate in the privatization of facilities in Georgia and in local construction, and to acquire industrial facilities here. We would like to have resorts and tourist centers on the Black Sea."
The presidents reached an important agreement on Kazakhstan's natural gas deliveries to Georgia Monday.
Nazarbayev said the exact amount of gas Georgia needed would be determined shortly, adding that he did not expect any objections from Russia, which would be a transit country.
Saakashvili, who said Kazakh gas would allow Georgia to double its consumption, did not predict any problems with Russia either. "I think Russian and Georgian interests coincide here, as Russian enterprises operating in Georgia also consume gas. Russia, Kazakhstan, and Georgia will all benefit from tackling the problem of gas supplies and developing economic cooperation," the president said.
Speaking of bilateral trade, Nazarbayev said they had discussed Georgian wine and citrus fruit supplies to Kazakhstan and Kazakh grain supplies to Georgia.
Nazarbayev hailed Georgia's economic and political reform and said the current "period, i.e. the start of massive privatization deals and other rapid changes in the economic sphere, should arouse investment interest and encourage investors to come to Georgia."
